Sleepless
by makos-lightningrod
Summary: It wasn't the best of ideas to try to get Korra to go back to sleep.


Korra slipped her boots on and shuffled out of the bedroom. The amber light of the kitchen glowed from the doorway and she made her way over, stopping when she saw him at the sink.

For the last few hours, the water tribe girl had been sleeping, exhausted from the day's events. After much goading from Tenzin and even more from her parents, she was outnumbered. When she came to once more, it was dark out and she was sure it was late into the evening by now.

The dying fire flickered outside the window as Mako turned away and finished putting the cleaned dishes away. He had spent most of his time helping Katara in the kitchen, and now he was finally done. The others had all gone to bed, but he could feel her presence behind him.

He had never known her to be so silent.

He turned around and smiled slowly, his steps taking him nearer and nearer until he touched her cheek, maneuvering until their lips met in a chaste kiss. "Are you tired, Korra?"

When he realized she was there, it took no time for her to reciprocate his kiss. She closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head. "No. Why are you still up?" It sounded like everyone else was asleep.

"I was cleaning up," he murmured as his arms slipped around her waist. "Are you still tired? Go back to bed," he was in his protective mode, more concerned with everyone else's well-being and not his own. "Come on," without a word, he scooped her up into his arms.

Mako shot her a look about protesting before he was pushing open her door with his hip and then closing it behind him. He laid her down into the bed and smiled gently.

"Mako-" Her eyes widened when she felt him swooping down to carry her. She wrapped him around the neck and scowled. "I've been sleeping for hours,' she murmured, pouting when she felt her back hit the warm sheets.

It seemed that he was rather used to carrying her these days. A long way from piggy-backing her. "I'm not tired."

"Fine, then," he scowled at her because she was so stubborn and then he gently rolled her over until he could slide into the bed beside her. He shifted awkwardly before throwing his arm around her waist so that they were facing each other. He held her loosely and mumbled, "I'm staying here until you fall asleep," he warned. He figured that would make her finally give up and go to sleep.

"Oomph." She was staring at the ceiling and then at him, feeling the heat from his arm, pressing against her sides. She looked at him and sighed. "I'm not going to fall asleep for a very long time, Mako."

Sometimes, he could be too protective and caring. "I'm not a baby," she pouted once more, giving him that look.

"I know," he whispered, his breath hitching in his throat as his mouth found hers. He was a bit rough, his fingers tightening on her waist as he kissed her. In moments, he found her under him, their hips, thighs and legs pressing together in ways that weren't very innocent. "You aren't a baby,' he whispered her words as he stared at her with dark eyes.

His breath smelled like nectarines and some kind of dry spice and she found her eyes fluttering shut. She didn't expect for him to do anything beyond kissing, but then she was on her back once more and his mouth was on hers.

She moaned softly - whether it be from surprise or pleasure, she didn't know. When he pulled away, her eyes widened like she had been a camel deer in the headlights. "What-" She licked her lips, finding them swollen. "-was that for?"

"To show you I know you aren't a baby," he mumbled as he tried to use one of his hands to rub his neck in embarrassment. Of course, he had forgotten that hand was kind of important keeping him from crushing her, so his body fell down against hers. Mako let out a small grunt and then couldn't hold back his moan as he felt their bodies grind together.

She felt the hard lines of his body press against hers and her heart began to speed up exponentially. She hoped he couldn't feel or hear it because this was the closest she'd been with anyone. After all, it'd only been hours since her second kiss.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, touching his shoulder. She felt his legs nestle between hers and pressed her lips together.

He took a shaking breath before leaning his cheek against her chest, feeling the rapid thump of her heart against her ribcage. He wondered if that was the way it always sounded, it seemed like it couldn't be that fast normally, but then that would mean he had caused that. That he affected her.

He kind of liked that idea.

"I'm fine," he finally whispered as he tried to loosen all the tension in his muscles and just melt against her. It was too hard, though, what with her breaths and movements she couldn't stay still, even just laying there causing her to rub against his body. "I' m fine," he said it again as if that might make it true.

Her body was acutely aware of his head just laying there on a place where it would have been the most embarrassing to find anything. Korra looked up at the ceiling and tried not to breathe.

"If you think that's going to make me tired, you're really mistaken," she whispered, closing her eyes now. Her fingers tightened into her palm before releasing them and brushed them through his hair. It was softer than it looked.

"I could leave," he offered, but his whole self rebeled against that idea, but he disobeyed it by sliding back over to his side of the bed and joining her in staring at the ceiling.

"No!" Korra said hastily as she sat up and turned to look at him. "I-No," she quickly added. "I'm wide awake and you're not asleep. So-" She went silent for a moment and then leaned down to kiss him, having wanting to do that since she saw him in the kitchen.

Somehow their chaste kisses escelated, and Mako could feel her heart beating wildly under his hand as he smoothed it over her chest, avoiding going lower than the scoop of her shirt before he was urging her on, his tongue sliding between her lips to seek entrance into her warm mouth.

"Mako…" His name fell from her lips and she felt his tongue press into her mouth. She exhaled through her nose and wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers sliding down the shoulder blades as they worked under the muscle.

"I don't remember you being this good at kissing," whispered Korra half-jokingly between kisses before she was messing up his scarf and sliding it off his shoulders.

"I didn't want to scare you off," he joked lamely as he tried to get his breath back for a moment, but of course, her lips were back against his and he lost sight of that goal.

His hand slid down to touch her thigh, following the line of her hard muscles before he found the back of her knee. Without thinking, he helped her swing her leg around his body, her strong legs caging him in on the bed.

Her hands came to rest flat against his chest as if she was to push him away. Her fingers curled around the fabric, wrinkling it just as his hand found her leg. It felt like an odd dream - being like this.

She felt the hardness of the front of his pants press against her and suddenly flushed. She hesitated for a moment before opening her mouth under his to deepen the kiss. She slowly undid the two fastenings keeping his jacket together.

Mako moaned softly and his fingers dug into his hips, pulling her down hard against his erection and grinding their bodies together. He knew that this was wrong, that it should stop, but maybe he had really gone to bed. He had really gone to bed and this was just a dream filled with pent-up sexual frustration.

And feeling her fingers picking at his buttons until his finally fell open just made that more apparent. Korra was innocent, naive. She didn't take off men's clothing like it was nothing.

She pulled back just a bit and looked at him, exhaling softly. "Is this okay?" she asked softly, searching his eyes. Hers seemed unsure, but distinctively filled with adoration for him. "I mean…you're not tired, are you?"

Korra's eyes suddenly widened. "You've done this before, right? I mean-" She exhaled. "With Asami."

"Yes, yes, yes," he mumbled as he kissed down her neck, tasting the sweat that had gathered in the hollow of her throat before he jerked back at Asami's name. "What? No, no, I've never…Asami and I we just-kissed! Kissed like-like our first kiss, that's it!" He had never been able to go farther than that. It had felt wrong, somehow.

Her eyes fluttered shut when she felt his mouth against her skin. It brought a heat to her body that only ever felt when she was firebending. Exhilarating and anxious. Powerful and uncontrolled.

When he pulled back, she couldn't help but smile. "Oh. Okay." It seemed as though she was satisfied with that. "Could you…do that again?"

Mako blinked up at her and turned red, his tongue sliding out across his lips before he moved his mouth to her throat, laying a row off kisses up towards her jaw until he found her lips again. "Korra," he groaned her name as his fingers touched the bottom of her shirt. "Korra…We should-I should…go…."

"Wait-" She grabbed the lapels of his coat and exhaled. "-I-I don't want you to go. I don't…I don't want to be alone tonight," she whispered. "Please, Mako." Her eyes met his for a moment before she leaned in to kiss him again, any despairing moments left behind.

Her fingers slid under his coat, touching the warmth of the soft undershirt he always wore. They slid down his chest and stomach until they hit the black belt. Without thinking, she undid it and let it fall away.

Mako's chest rose and fell rapidly with his beating heart before he was reaching between them, grabbing her hands and closing his eyes tightly against her beauty.

"We can-I won't go-" he said as he tried to gulp back all the words he wanted to say, the ones where he let her do what she was doing and urged her on. "We don't have to-Not if you don't want to, Korra."

"I know. I've never…I've never done it, but I know-" Her eyes tentatively met his before a look of sudden ease appeared in them. "I don't want it to be with someone else. Not anyone else. I was so scared I lost you today," she whispered, pressing her mouth to his in a heated kiss.

She slid his coat off of his shoulders, letting him pull the sleeves down his arms before it fell over the bedside. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he answered as he realized she meant it. She meant all the words she was saying before he was ruching up the back of her shirt and touching her spine. Her skin was hot and he wondered what it would feel like against his.

And then he realized, he was about to learn just that. "Korra, I just want it to be what you want-We have time, we do…." But that didn't mean he wanted to stop.

"I know. I've…I've been sure about everything when it came to you," she said quietly, kissing him again before she pulled away and sat on her haunches. "I mean-"

She gazed at him for a moment and licked her lips. "Although, if you aren't sure you want me…"

"I want you," that wasn't an issue. He had known that since probably before their kiss, but he had been too stupid to accept it. "Korra, I want you. I love you. I am-I am sure of that." Mako slowly pushed himself up onto his elbows. "But, spirits, Korra, if you can't tell I want you, then maybe this isn't a good idea." After all, he was sure she could feel how much he wanted her pressed against her thigh. If she didn't understand what that meant, well, then he wasn't about to take advantage of her.

"I can tell!" she said hastily as she stared down at the front of his pants. "Definitely. Can. Tell. I just…I want to hear you say it," she whispered, leaning forward on her knees and kissing him. She touched his chest. "So…Can we?"

This was probably not the best situation to be doing this. They were rushing - their adrenaline pumping, but all she cared about was the two of them right then.

"Y-yes," he stammered as he kissed her again. "Just-tell me if it's too much." Then, he sank into her kiss, his mouth moving against hers to make sure she knew just how much he loved her and wanted her.

After a few moments, he gradually stroked her arms, then let his hands slide under her shirt to touch her stomach.

Her hands went to his shoulders, holding herself up a bit with his support. Her hair tickled her nose, but she hardly cared. When she felt his hands on her skin, her muscles tensed.

Their mouths parted once more before her tongue was slipping past his. "Mmm…" She brushed her fingers through his hair and rolled over so that he was on top once more.

"Korra," he gasped out her name before finally deciding to take the plunge, her shirt bunching up in his fist before it was over her head and all he could see was pure white and dark skin. "Oh, Spirits, Korra."

Mako let his fingers touch her skin, but when he felt how smooth it was, he felt like he was too damaged, too rough to be allowed to do that.

Her arms slid around his neck, smiling softly as she felt him respond to her. His skin pressed against hers before pulling back for a moment to press a few kisses to his jawline.

She noticed his hesitation and gazed up at him. "What?" She frowned. "What is it?"

He tried to smile, but it was crooked and sad. "I just kind of think I don't deserve you," he finally said. "I've really done nothing to make up for what a jerk I've been, but, spirits Korra, you're just amazing."

He dropped his mouth down to taste her skin, and he slowly pulled back to look at her again. "Plus, I'm not anywhere near as good-looking as you." He tried to backpedal and not dump all of his insecurities on her as he sat up and pulled his undershirt up and over his head.

She gazed at the silver scars that gleamed on his skin before looking back at him.

"You're amazing, too. I told you that once. And I still think that." She pulled his mouth to hers. "So please…be quiet, Mako."

Korra felt the lines of their bodies press together, her fingers digging into his shoulders.. "I'd rather be kissing."

"I'd rather that, too," Mako confessed as he covered her body with his again, his mouth meetings hers hungrily before he was sliding his fingers along her skin, feelings it shiver beneath his fingers.

Somehow, his lips had found the softness of the wrappings and he kissed along the edge of it before letting out a little growl of frustration. "How do I take this off!?"

She felt his hands going for her wrappings and felt them slide around to find the knot. "Oh-" She sat up a bit and undid the side of it. She tugged at it and let it unravel before taking a breath.

"It's nice when I actually don't have to wear those…" She felt rather exposed now and covered her chest.

He tried not to stare, but it was kind of hard when he had the girl he loved under him, and he was most definitely a guy, and yeah, he did he mention he was a guy?

So, he kind of gave her a sidelong glance before focusing on her nose. Then, he felt stupid and promptly kissed her until his hands worked up the courage to press against hers. "Don't be scared," he whispered. "You're beautiful."

After a few minutes of kiss, she let his hands pulls hers away. The heat of the room made her pulse jump before she was sliding her hands through his hair, giving him complete freedom to what he wanted to do with his hands.

She tried desperately not to cover herself again.

He palmed her breast in his hand, trying not to melt at the feeling of her soft flesh in his hand before he gulped and knowing he only had moments to make her understand that this wasn't weird, or at least, it shouldn't have been, his mouth dipped down to take her nipple in his mouth.

Her lips parted in a gasp as her back arched. "Mako-" Her eyes fluttered shut as she gripped the strands of hair, not thinking to be careful of it hurting him. She shivered when she felt the rough stroke of his tongue against her sensitive peak.

He lavished attention on her chest, trying to gauge what she liked the most by the way her breath caught in her throat and small pants and moans shuddered the air.

Mako lifted up his hips as he felt her shoving at his pants, trying to push them down his legs. He didn't' want to stop with caressing her or tasting her, switching between each breasts before his hand moved down to press against the crotch of her pants.

"Oh-" Her eyes widened when she felt his hand pressing against the sensitive spot between her legs. Her body seemed to beat in tandem with each passing second as she brushed her hand over the hard line of his hip before bringing it back to his jaw to pull his lips to hers for a long kiss.

He parted their mouths long enough to shove his pants down, springing free before he blushed and used his hands to cover himself up as he saw her looking at him.

"Oh. Sorry if I was staring too long," whispered Korra before she was kissing his neck, trying to see if he liked that sort of thing. She hesitated before peppering kisses across his collarbone, watching to see if she gauged any kind of reaction from him.

Mako shuddered and he didn't think about modesty with her mouth on his skin as his hands dropped down to her waist and pulled her closer. "Korra…that feels so…." He licked his lips before undoing the ties on the front of her pants.

She felt the band loosen and reached down to tug them off. She pulled away a bit so that she get them off, but turned red when she saw him pulling them off for her.

"Thanks," she said faintly before pulling his mouth to hers again. "So…where were we?"

"I think we were here," he murmured as his mouth founds her for a long, deep kiss that had them both panting afterwards. He slowly pulled back, his eyes meeting hers. "Can I…" He had figured out how the wrappings worked and gently pulled her bottom half undone.

Then, his mouth and tongue was working their way down her body, paying attention to certain spots that made her gasp before his tongue licked up her slit.

Her entire body hummed as she waited for him to do whatever it was that boys did when they did this. Her eyes closed tightly, waiting in anxiousness with each kiss he gave her skin.

And then she felt the warmth of his tongue against her sensitive skin. "Mako-" Her eyes shot open as she looked down at him. "I-" She didn't know how to confront the picture of him between her legs.

Mako licked his lips and let her taste sink on his tongue before he raised his eyes up to meet hers. "Does this feel bad?" He mumbled as he kissed the inside of her thigh and tried not to bury his nose against her flesh.

She let out a moan and let her head fall back on the pillows. This was clearly something she was sure she'd never get to experience. How could someone even -

Korra nodded slowly and curled her toes at each stroke of his tongue, trying not to make loud noises. "Mako…" His name came as a whine from her lips.

"Spirits," he mumbled as he went back to work, his tongue sliding along her moist folds and his finger slowly exploring the wet expanse of her skin. Then, his finger slid inside of her, and he wanted more than just this. He wanted the connection that only they could have together.

Her hands fisted the blankets beneath her body when she felt his warm mouth working her nerves. She tugged at the blankets, difficult to not make sounds.

"Spirits-" she keened, her head nearly leaning over the edge of the bed as her body grew taut. "Mako. Please-" She couldn't finish her sentence.

He felt her contract around his fingers, his mouth giving her one last kiss before he pulled back and smoothed her hair back from her eyes. "Good?" He asked softly as he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips.

Mako gave her a smile before nudging her legs open again so that he could fit himself in the space between them. He was so hard, and his whole body thrummed for what was about to happen.

She kissed him back earnestly and felt the hardness of his cock against her. She flushed a bit and shifted a bit so that he fit better.

Her hands slid up his chest and rested on his shoulders. "I-I'm good."

Mako pressed into her, feeling some resistance before he broke through with a gasp of pleasure. He grew still, the feeling of her surrounding him hard to overcome and not move into, but he stayed still until he saw the pain fade from her eyes.

Gently, he pressed his hips against hers before thrusting back, his body trying to find a rhythm.

It had been quick and she didn't actually think she'd feel the pain. She'd felt worse and this was nothing she minded. When the pain subsided, Mako didn't need any kind of command to continue.

Her arms slid around his neck as she pulled his mouth to hers, not wasting a moment to part his lips as he moved against her.

His mouth opened over hers, and he lost himself in her body. Her breasts filled his palms, her moans echoed in his ears, and they were joined by his own, saying her name and wishing that they could last in this moment forever.

Korra easily found the rhythm with him and dug her fingers into his shoulders, gently running them down and making faint red lines. She licked her lips and braced her knees against his hips, wanting the constant friction. "Mako-"

He quickened his thrusts, feeling her moist walls sliding against his cock before he growled, his fingers finally just digging into her thighs. "Korra, Korra, please…."

She was vaguely aware of the bed creaking beneath them as she struggled to hold onto that painful pleasure of their bodies moving together.

It was over too soon. She cried out as her head fell back, lips quivering as she felt her body contract and explode.

He followed after her, spilling his seed inside of her as he fell over the edge. "Korra," he said weakly as he rolled off her and curled her into his arms. "I love you."

Korra's breath came out heavily as she vaguely felt him pulling her into his arms. Her head nestled under his chin as she snuggled up, shivering before he pulled the covers over them. "I love you, too," she whispered, listening to the slowing of his heartbeat.


End file.
